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Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy On Public Corruption Amendment To The STOCK Act

February 8, 2012

“I am deeply disappointed that House leadership has chosen to remove the anti-corruption amendment Senator Cornyn and I offered to the STOCK Act. The amendment was adopted with overwhelming support in the Senate. These provisions are the culmination of years of work on these issues by Republicans and Democrats in the Senate and the House, and would strengthen and clarify key aspects of Federal criminal law to help investigators and prosecutors attack public corruption nationwide. It was drafted carefully and precisely and includes important safeguards. A similar measure, sponsored by Congressman Sensenbrenner, was unanimously approved by the House Judiciary Committee in December. If we are serious about restoring faith in government and addressing the kinds of egregious misconduct that we have witnessed in recent years in high-profile public corruption cases, Congress must act now to enact serious anti-corruption legislation. The House Republicans’ version of the STOCK Act misses that opportunity.”